US Intelligence’s Venezuela Playbook: Demands for Loyalty, Not Diplomacy
📰 THE STORY: Al-Monitor, citing anonymous sources, reports that U.S. intelligence has doubts about whether interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will cooperate with the Trump administration by severing ties with U.S. adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia, including expelling their diplomats and advisers. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In 2002, the US actively
supported a coup attempt against Hugo Chávez, the democratically elected president of Venezuela. Fast forward to 2019, the US recognized an unelected opposition figure, Juan Guaidó, as the 'interim president,' and imposed crushing sanctions that, according to a 2019 Center for Economic and Policy Research report, had caused over 40,000 deaths by 2017 due to medicine and food shortages. Double
Standard: When the US maintains military and intelligence ties with countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel – regimes with extensive human rights abuses and destabilizing regional actions – it's framed as 'strategic alliances.' But when Venezuela seeks economic and political partnerships with sovereign states like China, Russia, or Iran, it's immediately deemed a threat requiring 'expulsion of
diplomats' and coercive 'cooperation.' Follow the Money: The Venezuelan opposition, including figures like Guaidó, has received significant funding from the US government, with USAID and NED channeling millions into 'democracy promotion' efforts. Meanwhile, US oil companies and arms manufacturers stand to gain immensely from a compliant Venezuelan government, as evidenced by ExxonMobil's